RIVAL SONS, the blistering, soulful Long Beach, California rock and roll band which has previously released four albums on the British label Earache, has moved onward and upward, signing a deal with Low Country Sound/Atlantic. The group has been hunkered down in the historic RCA Studio A in Nashville with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb for a release later this year.

Pete Ganbarg, president of A&R at Atlantic Records, commented: "We are thrilled to welcome RIVAL SONS to the Low Country Sound/Atlantic family. I've been a fan of theirs ever since my colleague Lea Pisacane came back from their Madison Square Garden show with BLACK SABBATH a few years back raving about how great they were. Having gotten a chance to really to get know the guys and work with them in the studio, I know that people are going to be blown away by their label debut. And to get to work together on this with Dave Cobb, producing them for his Low Country Sound label, is an absolute treat."

RIVAL SONS guitarist and co-founder Scott Holiday is no stranger to Atlantic, having signed a deal with the label in 2000 with his first former band HUMAN LAB. That group spent two years making an album for the company, but the disc was never released.

Scott told Planet Rock: "It's painful to make a piece of art and not having it see the light of day. But I saw how the record business worked. And after that experience, I had to run in the other direction. With RIVAL SONS, it's thirty days writing and recording each album."

Holliday added that it was a huge honor to be signed to the longtime home of such rock legends as FOREIGNER, AC/DC, THE ROLLING STONES, LED ZEPPELIN and PHIL COLLINS. "It's kind of romantic to be at this big, legendary record label," he said. "And fuck all the rock 'n' roll bands — if you want to get really romantic, look at all the soul acts they signed, like Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. We're talking about the bedrock, soul and blues, some of the most important recordings in the history of the world.

"But I'm a pragmatic person," he continued. "There's a lot of work to be done. We've made five records and we've had some success, but hopefully signing to Atlantic, we're going to have a little more."

RIVAL SONS' latest album, "Hollow Bones", was released in June 2016 via Earache

The band spent much of 2016 supporting the legendary BLACK SABBATH on "The End" world tour.

RIVAL SONS have also announced a short run of tour dates this May to bookend their appearance at Shaky Knees festival, their first in the U.S. in over a year.

Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m., with a special presale on Wednesday for e-mail subscribers.

Tour dates (all shows with WELLES):

May 01 - Whitesburg, KY - Appalshop Theater
May 02 - Whitesburg, KY - Appalshop Theater
May 04 - Atlanta, GA - Shaky Knees Festival
May 05 - Nashville, TN - 3rd and Lindsley
May 06 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel *
May 08 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry
May 09 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen
May 11 - Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection
May 12 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater
May 13 - Jersey City, NJ - White Eagle Hall

*with J RODDY WALSTON AND THE BUSINESS

Australian metal band PARKWAY DRIVE has released a new single, "Wishing Wells". The track is PARKWAY DRIVE's first new offering since the band's massively successful and critically praised 2015 album "Ire".

Opening with ominous vocals and haunting acoustic guitar, "Wishing Wells" soon erupts into a furious and full-throttle metal assault. Captured in one shot, its starkly filmed video marks a deep departure from PARKWAY DRIVE's usual high-production aesthetic. The video features frontman Winston McCall giving a powerful close-up performance of "Wishing Wells" with fierce intensity.

According to PARKWAY DRIVE — McCall, guitarists Luke Kilpatrick and Jeff Ling, bassist Jia O'Connor, and drummer Ben Gordon — "Wishing Wells" is a meditation on the pain and confusion of loss.

"'Wishing Wells' is the compression of grief into song," says McCall. "It's attempting to place blame when there is none, seeking answers where there is only emptiness, and ultimately trying to find some kind of reason and meaning to justify the ultimate loss we will all be faced with in life. This is how this chapter begins and will end."

In advance of LED ZEPPELIN's 50th-anniversary celebration, slated to commence this September, the band will whet fan's appetites with their first ever release for Record Store Day on April 21. The limited edition seven-inch single is produced by Jimmy Page and pressed on yellow vinyl. The single will feature two previously unheard studio mixes, handpicked by Page to appear on the release: the "Sunset Sound Mix" of "Rock And Roll" b/w the "Olympic Studios Mix" of "Friends".

The previously unreleased version of "Rock And Roll" provides an additional peek into the fabled "Sunset Sound Mixes" of "Led Zeppelin IV". Only two previous "Sunset Sound Mixes" have been released, the first being the version of "When The Levee Breaks" on the original album and the second the "Stairway To Heaven" mix that debuted on the 2014 deluxe edition. The previously unheard "Olympic Studios Mix" of "Friends" is a stripped-down version, without the orchestration of the final mix, offering a true fly-on-the-wall feel from the band's recording sessions for "Led Zeppelin III" at Headley Grange.

Additionally, LED ZEPPELIN will release a newly remastered version of its classic live album "How The West Was Won" in multiple formats on March 23 including the first ever vinyl and Blu-ray Audio editions (with the Blu-ray containing hi-res 5.1 surround sound). The collection captures performances from LED ZEPPELIN's legendary concerts at the Los Angeles Forum and Long Beach Arena on June 25 and 27, 1972. Melded together and sequenced to replicate a single concert from beginning to end, the three-CD and four-LP collections capture the band at the height of its formidable powers.

On March 25, prog icons YES will release a brand-new mix of their album "Fly From Here - Return Trip", featuring the "Drama" lineup and new lead vocals by Trevor Horn, to coincide with their 50th-anniversary celebrations.

"Fly From Here - Return Trip" can be exclusively pre-ordered via Pledge Music.

The original 2011 release of "Fly From Here" featured the band members who appeared on "Drama": Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White, Geoff Downes, plus Benoit David on lead vocals with Trevor Horn in the role of producer.

The addition of Trevor's lead vocals has produced a genuine sequel to "Drama". "Fly From Here - Return Trip" was developed as a labor of love for all involved and the new vocals were recorded over the last two years amidst other commitments. Trevor began re-recording the lead vocals the day after he guested with YES at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016 and within 24 hours the rest of the band had joined him at his studio. Additional overdubs by other members have also been added.

In addition to remixing parts of the album, Trevor has added personal liner notes and the sleeve design features the painting by Roger Dean originally used on the inside of the 2011 edition.

Trevor Horn says: "I really enjoyed listening to Alan and Chris playing together again. Finishing off the album was a labor of love."

"Fly From Here - Return Trip" also contains a previously unreleased song, "Don't Take No For An Answer" recorded in 2011, with Steve Howe on lead vocals. Additionally, the full-length version of "Hour Of Need" is included. This has previously only been included as a Japanese bonus track.

"It is great to have the original 'Drama' lineup playing 'Fly From Here' plus several other songs Trevor had a big part in writing," comments Steve Howe.

Geoff Downes adds: "It's quite amazing what Trevor has done with the album and the way it has turned out. It is most refreshing and adds a whole new dimension to the original recordings from 2011. I think the fans will appreciate it as a genuine sequel to the 'Drama' album, and embrace it as a valuable part of our YES50 celebrations."

"Fly From Here - Return Trip" track listing:

01. Fly From Here - Overture
02. Fly From Here Pt 1 - We Can Fly
03. Fly From Here Pt 2 - Sad Night At The Airfield
04. Fly From Here Pt 3 - Madman At The Screens
05. Fly From Here Pt 4 - Bumpy Ride
06. Fly From Here Pt 5 - We Can Fly (Reprise)
07. The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be
08. Life On A Film Set
09. Hour Of Need (full-length version)
10. Solitaire
11. Don't Take No For An Answer
12. Into The Storm

The album is a long-awaited treat for all YES fans and following Chris Squire's passing in 2015, represents the last chance for fans to hear a follow-up to the classic YES release "Drama", which reached No. 2 in the U.K. album charts in 1980.

The album is available to pre-order now exclusively via Pledge Music, plus some extra Roger Dean images and Pledge offers, and fans will be able to collect their orders, or buy direct for the first time, when YES attends the 50th Anniversary Fan Convention at the London Palladium on March 25 as part of their eagerly anticipated March 2018 U.K. tour. Trevor Horn will be guesting with YES at the London Palladium (both shows) and Paris.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, tickets for the upcoming SMASHING PUMPKINS tour featuring three-quarters of the original lineup are not selling as well as expected. While tickets have moved briskly in top markets like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, along with cities such as Duluth, Uncasville, Kansas City, and Austin, they're much slower in other cities like Miami, Glendale, Louisville, Salt Lake City, and Portland.

A vast majority of seats are still available in all those markets, along with places like Pittsburgh, Detroit and Omaha. One Twitter user pointed out that New York's Madison Square Garden "still has a decent amount of tickets available," adding that sales for the tour opener in Arizona were "weak." Another user pointed out that "very little tickets" have been sold in Sacramento, Seattle, Indianapolis and Columbus.

There is speculation that sales were dragged down by the public feuding between frontman Billy Corgan and founding bassist D'arcy Wretzky, who won't be on the tour. Wretzky claims that she was given an offer to rejoin the band which was later rescinded. In addition, some tickets are going for as much as $550.

The tour will mark the first concerts since 2000 to feature Corgan, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who are also recording new music.

The lackluster sales might also explain why Corgan is reaching out to fans online asking them to help him build the tour's setlist.

Industrial metal pioneers MINISTRY have releases a surreal and provocative new music video for the track "Twilight Zone" from the band's upcoming album, "AmeriKKKant", due out March 9 (Nuclear Blast). Building upon the themes of the song, the "Twilight Zone" video takes the viewer on a macabre excursion through the current U.S. news media climate of misinformation, corporate propaganda and hypocritical slander.

"We are in completely uncharted territory now," said MINISTRY's Al Jourgensen, "witnessing the unraveling of what was once a functional democracy. Our government is under attack. Our planet is under attack. It's time for a major reboot."

The video was filmed last December just outside of Los Angeles and features MINISTRY guitarists Sin Quirin and Cesar Soto, Tony Campos (FEAR FACTORY, STATIC-X) on bass, keyboardist John Bechdel (KILLING JOKE, FEAR FACTORY), live scratcher DJ Swamp (BECK, THE CRYSTAL METHOD), and Derek Abrams on drums. Guest appearances are made by Gray Wolf, president of American Indian Movement (AIM), the internationally renowned and idiosyncratic Lord of the Cello, and an army of MINISTRY supporters who participated in the band's PledgeMusic "AmeriKKKant" pre-order campaign.

The "Twilight Zone" video was produced by Chris Roth and Steve Roth for The Other House production company, the same group that produced Jourgensen's previous music video, "I'm Invisible", for his 2016 SURGICAL METH MACHINE release. Chris Roth also directed the "Twilight Zone" video with Steve Roth as director of photography and editor.

Said Chris Roth: "I'm a lifelong fan of the band and very politically active. Not only was this an opportunity to collaborate creatively once again with the one and only Al Jourgensen, but also an outlet for much of my pent-up aggression and frustration regarding the current state of politics in our country."

MINISTRY's provocateur-in-chief Al Jourgensen has assembled an ultra-cool number of all-star guest musicians for the band's 2018 North American tour that kicks off March 22 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California. The tour's guest lineup will feature vocalist Burton C. Bell (FEAR FACTORY), drummer Joey Jordison (ex-SLIPKNOT, VIMIC), and live scratcher DJ Swamp (BECK, THE CRYSTAL METHOD), who will join longtime bandmembers Quirin and Soto on guitars, Campos on bass, and Bechdel.

Asking Alexandria recently visited the SiriusXM Octane studios to perform a cover of the Ed Sheeran song "Perfect", as well as their own, original song "Into The Fire". 

In this episode of NME's Song Stories, Asking Alexandria discuss how the song "Into The Fire" came about, and how the video came to be.

Asking Alexandria's next show is February 27th in Spokane, WA at The Knitting Factory. To view the band's complete tour itinerary, visit this location.

 

A NEW REVENGE (formerly PROJECT ROCK and ROCKSTAR) — the band featuring former members of JUDAS PRIEST, ALICE COOPER, OZZY OSBOURNE and SCORPIONS — has inked a deal with Australia's fastest-growing independent record label Golden Robot Records. The group's debut album will be released later this year.

A NEW REVENGE features one of the finest voices in metal of all time, Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH), one of the most versatile and name-checked guitarists in rock Keri Kelli (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ALICE COOPER, VINCE NEIL), legendary bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT) and longtime SCORPIONS drummer James Kottak (also formerly of KINGDOM COME).

"Here's To Us", the first-ever original song written and recorded by A NEW REVENGE, was premiered in 2013 on Russia's "Drive Time Morning Show With Evgeny Shtoltz". It can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Owens told RockEra Magazine about A NEW REVENGE: "It started as an all-star band playing songs from all of our careers. Then we wrote a CD and recorded it, and I can't wait to get it out." He described the band's musical direction as "just good old straight-forward hard rock."

PROJECT ROCK's touring lineup also included Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis (GUNS N' ROSES) on keyboards, but it is not clear if he will be involved with A NEW REVENGE.

A NEW REVENGE is:

* Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DIO DISCIPLES) - Vocals
* Keri Kelli (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ALICE COOPER, RATT) - Guitar
* James Kottak (SCORPIONS, KINGDOM COME) - Drums
* Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT, WHITESNAKE, DIO) - Bass

On May 4th, Corpse Flower Records will unleash We All Want Our Time In Hell, a limited edition, vinyl-only tribute to '80s goth punk icons Samhain. Curated by Child Bite frontman Shawn Knight and mastered by James Plotkin (Old, Scorn, Khanate, Khlyst), the album features 40 minutes of brand new recordings from the likes of Midnight, Ghoul, Acid Witch, Brain Tentacles, Joel Grind, Ringworm, and many more spanning Samhain's four studio releases.

"I've been a huge fan of Glenn Danzig's music ever since I was a 13-year-old kid, just a couple years after Samhain had dissolved," relays Knight. "MTV introduced me to Danzig, and a friend's older brother - along with Metallica's Garage Days Re-Revisited EP - got me into the Misfits. Discovering Samhain took a bit more digging, and always felt that much more mysterious because of it. All of the classic Danzigian elements are present; murky atmosphere, dark / taboo lyrics, catchy hooks and melodies, gritty DIY art and recordings, and of course that Evil Elvis voice. I've always felt that this less celebrated period of Danzig's output deserved more love, and I hope that our small tribute will introduce a few more kids to the music of Samhain."

We All Want Our Time In Hell will be limited to 300 copies in three color variants (black, white and orange) and see release via Corpse Flower Records on May 4th. For pre-orders, go to this location.

Tracklisting:

"Night Chill" - Joel Grind
"Mother Of Mercy" - Midnight
"In My Grip" - Nil Eye
"Black Dream" - Ringworm
"Macabre" - Ghoul
"Halloween II" - Acid Witch
"The Howl" - Multicult
"The Shift" - Like Rats
"Kiss Of Steel" - Shed The Skin
"I Am Misery" - Immortal Bird
"Unbridled" - Child Bite
"Human Pony Girl" - Brain Tentacles
"Archangel" - Ritual Howls

 

Season Of Ghosts vocalist / mastermind Sophia (ex-Blood Stain Child) has checked in with the following update:

"The time has come for the most important update of the year! Our second studio album is in pre-production as we speak and we’re giving you the chance to be a part of the process. For this reason we’ve teamed up with Pledge Music, an experienced and trustworthy platform, to offer you a one-of-a-kind experience!

As of today, you are able to pre-order our new album, entitled A Leap Of Faith, as well as selected merchandise and other miscellaneous goodies! Estimated album release date is September 2018 and all merchandise orders will be fulfilled by then. Misc goodie orders will be fulfilled immediately.  Important: all item prices include shipping cost to your country, with Registered Airmail.

Also, everyone who pre-orders any of the available items, gains access to the Access Pass, which is a secret updates board EXCLUSIVELY for pledgers, including video updates, pictures, song previews, details about the album process etc, that will not be released anywhere else on the internet.

Visit the campaign link and see what we’re talking about here.

Season of Ghosts is an independent, self-financed band, so it’s very important that you help us spread the word about this campaign and our band activities, to your friends and anyone who might be interested. Thank you for everything!"

Sophia previously commented on the forthcoming album:

"The second album is finally taking shape, as a new entity. Like last time, I’m gonna let things flow intuitively and let the music in me find its perfect place. Every album I make has a certain dynamic, an identity that I don’t want to disrupt by overthinking about the current musical trends, or the marketability, or genre cliches. I’d lose my creativity plus I never cared about fitting into anything as a person, so I don’t care about fitting into any musical moulds and presets either. If it feels *right* I’ll do it, even if everyone is protesting against it. Because I *see* it in its final form, I see it into the future (and apparently I’m not very democratic when I work :P).

I don’t believe the coming album is gonna have a solid theme like The Human Paradox, but I won’t know until I sit down and let the stories come to me. Until then, please keep supporting me and Season of Ghosts on this creative journey. Your love has kept me alive all these years, even when I felt my existence falling apart. Thank you."

Worhol is a female fronted symphonic rock band out of Texas, but some mistake them for a European band because of their overall sound and appearance. The band delivers a unique style of dark, theatrical, orchestral music that showcases Ashley Worhol’s dynamic mellifluous voice.

Worhol is taking 2018 head on with a brand new music video that was filmed in Los Angeles, California by Multi Mojo Productions for their latest single titled “Already Forgotten”, and plan to release their EP later this year.

"Already Forgotten is a song about understanding your own self-worth and having the courage to know what you deserve. This is a personal topic for me and we knew when we were in the stages of filming that we wanted to incorporate more of a movie based video to help bring awareness to the subject of abuse. No one truly knows what someone might be going through behind closed doors. It is so important for people to know that help is out there," says Ashley Worhol.

Worhol formed in 2013 when lead singer Ashley Worhol and her father Larry Worhol decided they wanted to follow their dream together as a team. Both having degrees in music and a classical background, they knew that they had the knowledge it would take in writing their style of music.

Worhol’s music can be best described as symphonic and theatrical with Larry being the guitarist as well as the orchestral composer, and Ashley being professionally trained. Since Ashley and Larry are kin to Andy Warhol they decided to keep the band name in the family. Once Worhol was set they reached out and found the rest of the members of the band; Craig Malinowski (bassist) and Marty Naul (drummer).

In addition, Ashley recently published a hybrid poetry / photography book called, Perception.

She will be attending Comic Cons such as Wizard World and Days Of The Dead on the following dates: 

April 13 to 15 - Wizard World - Portland, OR
May 18 to 20 - Days Of The Dead- Charlotte, NC
June 8 to 10 - Wizard World- Columbus, OH
July 13 to 15 - Wizard World- Boise, ID
August 23 to 26 - Wizard World- Chicago, IL
September 21 to 23 - Wizard World- Madison, WI

Visit the official Worhol Facebook page for further details.

 

After an extensive label search, Images Of Eden has signed with Pavement Entertainment for the worldwide release of their upcoming CD, Soulrise. Physical and digital distribution will occur through Sony Music, with a summer street-date pending.   

"It has been a long time coming, and we are extremely excited to be working with Pavement Entertainment," says Images Of Eden. "Special thanks to Bill Metoyer for getting us connected to this amazing label."

Pavement Entertainment describes Images Of Eden as, "a fearless concept band that brings together familiar, well-loved elements of metal and rock combined with their own unique vision, message and delivery. The result is a distinct musical hybrid that speaks directly to the struggles and tribulations of the listener."

Check out the official video for "Shield Me":

For further details, visit ImagesOfEden.com.

 

Livin' Oblivion is the latest full-length from Vancouver, BC based vintage heavy metal titans Black Wizard. Out now in Europe, the nine-track offering will see US release on March 16th via Listenable Records.

Livin' Oblivion centers itself on the obliteration or slow decay of one's self, morals, and life as we know it. "We are living in an age where the powers of the world are taking steps backwards and moving away from a positive future," elaborates the band. "There's a large number of disenfranchised youth and young adults who would rather live their lives in oblivion - drinking, drugs, partying etc. - than chasing any kind of future or dreams, simply because the rest of the world seems to be falling apart around them."

Stream Black Wizard's Livin' Oblivion via the Listenable Records' Bandcamp audio player below:

Livin' Oblivion by BLACK WIZARD

Enjoy the band's performance video for "Feast Or Famine":

In conjunction with the release of Livin' Oblivion, Black Wizard will return to Europe this week on a 22-date tour alongside Anciients. The journey begins March 1st in Antwerp, Belgium and ends March 30th in Utrecht, Netherlands with additional live adventures in the plotting stages. See all confirmed dates by clicking here.

 

Brazilian power metallers Hibria have released an official video for "Moving Ground", the title track of the band's new album, out February 28th in Japan via King Records. Watch the clip below.

Release dates for other territories will be announced soon. The new album features cover artwork by Tiago Masseti.

Moving Ground tracklisting:

"Moving Ground"
"A Life For Yourself"
"The Shapeshifter"
"Scream And Shout"
"Sailing Ship"
"Souls Ain't For Sale"
"So Damn Unkind"
"Safe Shore"
"Heaven"
"Reset My Brain"

"Moving Ground" video:

German dark/gothic metal outfit, Schwarzer Engel, have released a video for "Krähen an die Macht", the opening track of the new album, Kult der Krähe, out now via Massacre Records. Watch below.

The album is available as a limited edition digipak with exclusive bonus track, jewel case CD, and limited vinyl LP. It was mixed and mastered Jan Vacik (Graveworm, Serious Black, Serenity) at Dreamsound Studios. The cover artwork was created by Matthias Bäuerle / Season Zero.

Order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"Krähen an die Macht"
"Viva la Musica"
"Gott ist im Regen"
"Sinnflut"
"Futter für die See"
"Mein glühend Herz"
"Ein kurzer Augenblick"
"Meerflucht"
"Requiem"
"Unheil"
"Wenn mein Herz zerbricht (Digipak Bonus)

"Krähen an die Macht" video:

"Gott ist im Regen":

"Unheil" lyric video:

Brazil-based heavy/power metal band, Armored Dawn, have released a video for "Bloodstone", a track from new album, Barbarians In Black, out now via AFM Records. The clip can be seen below.

"Beware Of The Dragon"
"Bloodstone"
"Men Of Odin"
"Chance To Live Again"
"Unbreakable"
"Eyes Behind The Crow"
"Sail Away"
"Gods Of Metal"
"Survivor"
"Barbarians In Black"

"Bloodstone" video:

"Chance To Live Again" video:

"Sail Away" video:

After supporting Fates Warning on their latest European tour, Armored Dawn will now open for Saxon at the following shows:

February
27 - Tilburg, Netherlands
28 - Saarbrücken, Germany

March
1 - Hannover, Germany
2 - Frankfurt, Germany
3 - Dresden, Germany

Big Kizz is the new Swedish rock band featuring drummer Axel Sjöberg (ex-Graveyard), bassist John Hoyles (Spiders, ex-Witchcraft) and vocalist/guitarist Pontus Westman (Lady Banana). The group will release its debut full-length, Music Is Magic, on May 18th via Tee Pee Records.

Big Kizz plays good time rock 'n' roll  energized with elements of power pop, garage rock and punk that will have toes tappin', ears ringin' and mouths singin' from the moment the needle hits the wax! Big Kizz burst onto the scene in 2017 with its debut, Eye On You, an EP filled with upbeat rock ‘n’ roll circa 1976, when proto-glam and punk rock were hardly distinguishable from each other.

"Big Kizz have gathered influences from across the musical spectrum, fed them through our ingenious, Phil Spector-esque hit-creating rock machine and spewed out an eclectic swirl of instant heavy hitters!", says Sjöberg. "With a nod to Ty Segall and Shocking Blue, a tip of the hat to Tina Turner and Ray Charles, and a thumbs up to Velvet Underground and Bikini Kill, we have delivered a masterclass in wearing our influences on our sleeve, but crucially, fired them out with -- what is surely soon to be known as -- our signature Big Kizz flair."

Combining a love for British guitar pop songcraft with crunching power chords and a tongue-in-cheek flair for the absurd, the band's impending long-player, Music Is Magic, is an explosive fusion of Beatlesque melodic hooks, Who-styled power, and a twisted sense of humor. The record also includes a blistering cover of the Bikini Kill classic "Rebel Girl".

Pre-order Music Is Magic here.

Tracklisting:

"Music Is Magic"
"I Want My Girl"
"I Gave Up Tears Ago"
"Baby Boy"
"Lose My Love"
"Long Distance Call"
"High "
"Rebel Girl" (Bikini Kill cover)
"I Hate R 'N' R"
"Eye on You"
"Legalt"

"Eye On You" video:

Bay Area blackened hardcore outfit, Wolf King, have released details on their new album, Loyal To The Soil. Due out on April 27th, their debut full length will be available on all digital platforms, CD and a limited edition black with gold and white splatter LP.

Loyal To The Soil was recorded at Rapture Recordings in Hayward, CA with producer Cody Fuentes. Pre-order the album here, and hear snippet of the band’s next single, "Greater Power", below.

Loyal To The Soil tracklisting:

"Hail The Ash"
"Further"
"Loyal To The Soil I"
"Loyal To The Soil II"
"Sorrow's Reach"
"Worthy Of The Dead"
"Greater Power"
"Betrayer"
"Mortals I"
"Mortals II"
"Shepherd Of The Flock"

"Greater Power" snippet:

"Loyal To The Soil Pt. 1" live, in-studio video:

The band has also been confirmed to play this year’s New England Metal And Hardcore Festival in Worcester, MA. The two day festival will be held April 20th and 21st and will see appearances by Morbid Angel, Dying Fetus, Thy Art Is Murder and many more.

Wolf King is:

Timothy Wilson - vocals
Jacob Broughton - guitar & vocals
Brian Mojica - bass
Connor White - drums

Italy's Airborn have announced that their fifth studio album, Lizard Secrets - Part One: Land Of The Living, will be released soon.

Four years since Dark Future Rising was released, the new record marks the return to the band’s original power metal style and brings a gust of fresh air at once: the long-time partnership with Hamburg’s Remedy Records being ended, Airborn just signed two brand-new record deals with Spanish label Fighter Records (a division of Xtreem Music) and Japanese label Spiritual Beast, the latter for Japan and Far East distribution.

Japan and Far East release on March 21st via Spiritual Beast (Japan Edition), worldwide release on May 15th via Fighter Records.

As jointly agreed with the record labels, all details including cover artwork, tracklisting and first single of Lizard Secrets will be revealed on Friday, March 2nd. Stay tuned.

Kamelot's new album, The Shadow Theory, will be released on April 6th via Napalm Records. A third album teaser has been released, which can be found below.

The Shadow Theory was produced by acclaimed music producer Sascha Paeth and mastered by Jacob Hansen. A massive piece of work that will more than please critics and fans alike. Guests on the album include Lauren Hart (Once Human), Jennifer Haben (Beyond The Black)and Sascha Paeth. The amazing cover and artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann.

The Shadow Theory tracklisting:

"The Mission"
"Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)"
"RavenLight"
"Amnesiac"
"Burns To Embrace"
"In Twilight Hours"
"Kevlar Skin"
"Static"
"MindFall Remedy"
"Stories Unheard"
"Vespertine (My Crimson Bride)"
"The Proud and The Broken"
"Ministrium (Shadow Key)"

A 2-CD edition is available with the digipak version and the following additional track listing:

"Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)" (Instrumental version)
"RavenLight" (Instrumental version)
"Amnesiac" (Instrumental version)
"Burns To Embrace" (Instrumental version)
"Kevlar Skin" (Instrumental version)
"The Proud and The Broken" (Instrumental version)
"The Last Day of Sunlight" (bonus)

Teaser #1:

Teaser #2:

Teaser #3:

The Shadow Theory will be available in the following formats:

* Ltd. Deluxe Wooden Box incl.
- CD Digipack
- Flag
- Tri K Logo pendant
- Tri K Key
- Signed autograph card
- Tri K Logo patch

* 2CD Earbook
* 2CD Digipack
* CD Jewelcase
* 2LP Gatefold

Editions:
Ltd. Red - NPR D2C mail-order shop (EU)
Ltd. Gold - NPR D2C mail-order shop (EU/USA)
Ltd. Neon Pink - Universal
Ltd. White - ADA/ Sony CAN
Black (for all outlets)

Pre-Order your copy here.

Prior to the recent final recordings, long-time drummer Casey Grillo informed the band that he had made the difficult decision to pursue other music and touring opportunities, in addition to the desire to focus more time on his drumhead company.

“Casey has been my friend and colleague for nearly 20 years. We have seen and done a lot together both in and outside of Kamelot. As his friends, the band and I respect his decision. I’m sure that we will all still be hanging out together when we have down time.” says Kamelot guitarist Thomas Youngblood.

In a letter regarding his departure, Casey states: “First and foremost I would like to thank all of the Kamelot fans around the world for your support during my time with the band. It has afforded me the opportunity to travel the globe, meet the most amazing people, experience so many cultures, and to share some of the most memorable experiences of my life. Between the various other musical endeavours I am involved with, along with my rapidly growing business DrumStatic.com, it really just became evident it was time for me to explore and focus on these new opportunities without compromising the exclusivity Kamelot needs and deserves.”

 

(Pictured above: Johan "Jo" Nunez and Casey Grillo)

 

The band continue: "The technical musical arrangements and intense touring demands drove the band to enlist a proficient and energetic musician which would fit perfectly within the Kamelot machine. The new Kamelot drummer is someone you may already know, so please welcome with open arms Johan "Jo" Nunez. This 29 year old drum master and instructor has been touring and playing on albums with Marty Freedman, Gus G, Firewind, Nightrage and more."

"We knew Johan already from touring and he worked with us on the entire recent European tour. He's a sensational drummer, and was an easy choice in my mind. Be sure to make him feel welcome, and bug him for a photo, he’s a super nice dude!" adds Kamelot bassist Sean Tibbetts.

Johan Nunez states: “I am thrilled to join the Kamelot family! I’ve known the band for well over 15 years and always looked up to Casey as a drummer, so it was a big honor for me when I was asked to step in. I have toured in the past with Kamelot and I could see how dedicated and loving their fans are! Everybody in the band and crew has been wonderful and already made me feel at home, so I’m really excited to meet you all soon on the road!”

Casey concurs with the selection and adds: “I sincerely ask for you all to give a warm welcome to Johan Nunez, and to embrace him as the new drummer. He is a great guy and will proudly represent and continue the Kamelot legacy!“

The band wishes Casey all the best in his future musical and business journeys. As part of the Kamelot family, he will continue to work behind the scenes with band. The band is also confident that with the release of The Shadow Theory, fans will immediately recognize that Johan’s fantastic musicianship is a perfect choice for Kamelot. They can't wait for you to meet him on tour.

Following the release of The Shadow Theory, Kamelot will embark on a massive World Tour with label-mates Delain plus Battlebeast, starting in North America during April and May, followed by European festivals in Summer 2018. The band will return to Europe in September/October 2018 for their biggest headline tour to date.

Find the band's tour itinerary here.

(Photos - Tim Tronckoe)

Following the New Year announcement that British rock legends IRON MAIDEN and independent family brewers Robinsons have teamed up again to create a special beer in support of Help For Heroes, a British charity which provides lifelong support to those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces, Light Brigade, a unique golden English ale with a 4.1% ABV, is now available online and debuts in 270 Morrisons stores nationwide.

Light Brigade is the fifth beer in the Trooper family and is available in both cask and 500ml bottle formats. Morrisons was the first U.K. national retailer to stock Trooper when it was launched almost five years ago. With over 20 million pints now sold worldwide, it seems highly appropriate that Morrisons is the first U.K. supermarket operator to stock this latest innovation, in 500ml bottles, across 270 of its stores.

Commenting on the new collaboration, Oliver Robinson, Robinsons' managing director (beer division), said: "Everyone involved in this project has been bowled over by the wonderful work that Help For Heroes do and we're delighted that Morrisons are getting behind this beer from the word go. With 5p of each bottle sold and 6p in every pint being donated directly to the charity, whose work is truly exceptional in the recovery of our injured, wounded, or sick troops. Our aim is that this partnership provides additional support for a truly worthwhile cause [it gives new meaning to responsible drinking]. We are enormously proud to be associated with Help For Heroes and to be helping make a tangible difference."

The collaboration between the three iconic British success stories and partners in Light Brigade is a natural fit: Bruce Dickinson, IRON MAIDEN's vocalist, loves his real ale, has a well-known interest in British military history and is a supporter of Help For Heroes; Robinsons Brewery is one of Britain's most established and respected independent family-owned brewers with 180 years' brewing experience; and Help For Heroes is an internationally recognized Armed Forces charity (marking their 10th birthday this year).

Mel Waters, CEO of Help For Heroes, said: "We are thrilled that Bruce Dickinson has developed a new beer under the Trooper brand with Robinsons. I am sure that Light Brigade will have a very popular appeal and raise significant funds, enabling Help For Heroes to empower more veterans to reach their potential and regain their purpose. This is an incredibly exciting new partnership and we are delighted to see Light Brigade now ready for general sale in-store."

In keeping with the Trooper brand, band mascot Eddie is featured on the bottle label on horseback in a uniform that was worn by the British cavalry at The Charge of the Light Brigade, which took place in 1854 at the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War.

Dickinson comments: "We hope that beer, music and history fans alike will enjoy Light Brigade and will simultaneously raise a glass or two to our veterans. I am incredibly proud of our association with Help For Heroes and of the new beer we have developed for them with Robinsons. As an authentic English Golden Ale, Light Brigade is full of body and flavor, just as you'd expect from us!"

In addition to brewing the beer, Robinsons will also be organizing a calendar of charity events across their 280-strong pub estate, including taking part in Help For Heroes 563km Big Battlefield Bike Ride which will travel through historic battlefields and commemorate 100 years since the end of the Great War.

Light Brigade is now available to purchase nationwide in 270 Morrisons stores as well as online at www.robinsonsbrewery.com.

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor joined "Supernatural" star Jensen Ackles on stage this past weekend in Las Vegas at the official convention for the science-fiction television show to sing the BON JOVI classic "Wanted Dead Or Alive". Video footage of their rendition can be seen below. Taylor had previously performed "Wanted Dead Or Alive" during his solo tours.

STONE SOUR is on a short break from touring in support of its sixth studio effort, "Hydrograd", which came out last June.

Taylor revealed earlier in the month that guitarist Josh Rand will rejoin STONE SOUR on April 27 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Jacksonville, Florida. Rand came off the road late last month and was said to have entered "treatment" for unspecified issues. Taylor told Musik Universe that the band talks to Rand "every day" and that he is "doing great."

STONE SOUR enlisted a temporary replacement for its most recent North American tour, which included dates with HALESTORM, IN THIS MOMENT and RED SUN RISING.

It is not clear whether Rand is being treated for a medical issue or problems with substance or alcohol abuse.

Taylor confirmed in December that he has been separated from his wife for almost a year and just recently started a new relationship.

The official lyric video for the song "False Flag" from REVERTIGO, the Stockholm, Sweden-based duo formed by Mats Levén (vocals) and Anders Wikström (guitar), can be seen below. The track is taken from REVERTIGO's debut album, which was released on February 23 via Frontiers Music Srl.

As close personal and musical friends for nearly 30 years, Mats and Anders consider REVERTIGO to be the next chapter in an ongoing collaboration.

Anders says: "Mats and I always had an idea of creating something that would celebrate the fact that we really enjoy working together, but with busy separate music careers, it wasn't until 2016, we sat down and concentrated on new songs with a firm plan."

Adds Mats: "The fact that we, besides writing for other international artists, hadn't done a proper album together in twenty-five years also gave the writing and recording process of REVERTIGO a purpose."

In September 2016, a three-song demo found its way to Frontiers Music Srl, which decided to sign the band on the spot. In between touring activities with CANDLEMASS, TREAT and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, the pair finalized the eleven songs featured on the debut album. All the instruments on the album are played by Mats and Anders, except for the drums, which were performed by their dear friend Thomas Broman (GREAT KING RAT, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, ELECTRIC BOYS).

"Both of us have a strong mutual vision; that's why we choose to play and sing most of the instruments and parts on the album ourselves," says Mats. Peter Mansson is responsible for the mixing duties, which took place at Mir Studios in Stockholm and Svante Forsbäck mastered at Chartmakers in Helsinki.

REVERTIGO's music itself is a blend of heavy-yet-melodic songs paying tribute to their favorite albums and artists from the '70s, '80s and up to present day filtered through the chemistry that comes to life when Mats and Anders join forces.

"I love when you get that teenage excitement together over a song idea, and how you hear a finished gem in your head, hence the band's name REVERTIGO," says Mats.

"We might not be reinventing the wheel, but we're certainly putting on fresh tires," says Anders.

"Revertigo" track listing:

01. Hoodwinked
02. Sailing Stones
03. Symphony Of Fallen Angels
04. The Cause
05. Gate Of The Gods
06. False Flag
07. Unobtainium
08. Luciferian Break Up
09. Joan Of Arc
10. Break Away
11. In Revertigo

A recording of Chris Cornell performing Johnny Cash's "You Never Knew My Mind" can be streamed below. Also available is a video of Cornell discussing the track.

"You Never Knew My Mind" will appear on "Johnny Cash: Forever Words", a collaborative album consisting of songs created from Cash's poetry, lyrics, and letters, previously collected in a book of the same name.

Johnny Cash's son, John Carter Cash, who curated and serves as co-producer on the project, spoke about "You Never Knew My Mind" with Zane Lowe. He said: "Through the years, there were things that [Johnny] wrote that he set aside. There were songs that he had lyrics for — maybe he had music, maybe [he] didn't — that he never recorded. There were also things that he wrote. He wrote 'You Never Knew My Mind' in 1967. I assume and I'm fairly certain it was written for his first wife, Vivian. That was the year that their divorce was legal. It was also the year where his love for my mother flourished. So 'You Never Knew My Mind' was not something that he would have released at that time because my mother was standing beside him."

"You Never Knew My Mind" combines "You Never Knew My Mind" with another previously unreleased Cash song, "I Never Knew Your Mind".

"I reached out to Chris Cornell, and I said, 'Would you like to be a part of this?'" John said. "He was very excited. Chris told me that he loved my dad. He also had felt everything that was in those words. He had been there. He had gone through the loss of relationships."

"Johnny Cash: Forever Words" will be released on April 6 via Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It will be available on CD, 2LP vinyl and digital formats.

When Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash passed, they left behind what John Carter Cash, their son and "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" co-producer, describes as a "monstrous amassment" of things, including a treasure trove of undiscovered material that includes Johnny Cash's handwritten letters, poems and documents, penned across the entirety of his life.

Over the past two years, album producers John Carter Cash and Steve Berkowitz invited a stellar cast of musicians to create new music to accompany these newly discovered Cash writings.

Recorded primarily at The Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" is also the musical companion to the best-selling "Forever Words: The Unknown Poems", a volume of Cash's unpublished writing edited by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon and curated by John Carter Cash and Steve Berkowitz.

Many of the songs on "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" were directly inspired by material in the book while others are drawn from different sources of Cash's unpublished writings. The tone of the album is established with the opening track "Forever/I Still Miss Someone" featuring Kris Kristofferson reciting the last poem Cash ever wrote alongside guitar accompaniment from Willie Nelson, both lifelong friends of Johnny. Continuing the close-to-home theme, the music then transitions to the deeply personal "To June This Morning", a letter Johnny wrote to his wife, June Carter Cash, now interpreted by real-life couple Ruston Kelly and Kacey Musgraves.

The album also showcases Rosanne Cash, Johnny Cash's eldest daughter, who interpreted her father's "The Walking Wounded", marking just the second time that she has collaborated on a record with her half-brother John Carter Cash.

John Carter Cash also collaborated here with his half-sister Carlene, his mother June's first daughter, on "June's Sundown". Carlene Carter was just twelve years old when her mother June Carter married Johnny Cash, but bonded immediately with her stepfather who she referred to as "Big John."

The Grammy Award-winning bluegrass super-group ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION made a rare recording together on "The Captain's Daughter", the group's first new studio recording in six years.

"Determining the artist for each song was truly a matter of the heart," said John Carter Cash. "I picked the artists who are most connected with my father, who had a personal story that was connected with Dad. It became an exciting endeavor to go through these works, to put them together and present them to different people who could finish them in a way that I believed that Dad would have wanted."

When making the "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" album, producers John Carter Cash and Steve Berkowitz tapped into a spirit of musical collaboration between the musicians and the words of Johnny Cash. The goal of "Johnny Cash: Forever Words" was not to create a "lost" Johnny Cash album, but rather for musicians to connect with these poems and allow them to flourish in a new musical world.

"Johnny Cash: Forever Words" track listing:

01. "Forever/I Still Miss Someone" - Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson
02. "To June This Morning" - Ruston Kelly and Kacey Musgraves
03. "Gold All Over The Ground" - Brad Paisley
04. "You Never Knew My Mind" - Chris Cornell
05. "The Captain's Daughter" - Alison Krauss and Union Station
06. "Jellico Coal Man" - T. Bone Burnett
07. "The Walking Wounded" - Rosanne Cash
08. "Them Double Blues" - John Mellencamp
09. "Body On Body" - Jewel
10. "I'll Still Love You" - Elvis Costello
11. "June's Sundown" - Carlene Carter
12. "He Bore It All" - Daily and Vincent
13. "Chinky Pin Hill" - I'm With Her
14. "Goin', Goin', Gone" - Robert Glasper featuring Ro James, and Anu Sun
15. "What Would I Dreamer Do?" - The Jayhawks
16. "Spirit Rider" - Jamey Johnson

Maryland rockers CLUTCH recently completed recording their new album at Sputnik Sound studio in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and engineer Vance Powell (THE WHITE STRIPES, RED FANG). Singer Neil Fallon states: "We are really really pleased with it. No title yet… still trying to figure that out. It's kinda like naming a kid."

Prior to entering the studio, CLUTCH guitarist Tim Sult told The Advocate that he was excited about finally working on the follow-up to 2015's "Psychic Warfare".

"They're my favorite songs," he said of the new material. "At this point, we probably have more songs than we've ever had before going into the studio. The material is a little heavier. It has a more doomed-out vibe and feel. We're going to record more live.

"It's our first time recording in Nashville," he added. "Who knows? We might end up with something that sounds like a Garth Brooks album."

"Psychic Warfare" debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart after shifting 26,000 equivalent album units in the week ending October 8, 2015. The disc was released via CLUTCH's own label, Weathermaker Music.

Swedish melodic death metal pioneers AT THE GATES will release their new album, "To Drink From The Night Itself", on May 18 via Century Media.

Produced with Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, THE HAUNTED, DIMMU BORGIR) at Parlour Studios in the U.K., the follow-up 2014's "At War With Reality" will feature conceptual artwork created by Twilight 13 Media's Costin Chioreanu, who previously worked with AT THE GATES on the band's last disc.

AT THE GATES vocalist/lyricist Tomas Lindberg comments: "It has once again been an absolute pleasure working creativily with Costin.

"We had a lot of ideas for what we wanted to get across with the art this time around. Overall they were, not surprisingly, related to the general concept of the record.

"What is great with Costin is that he understands the band. He knows what we are and where we come from. And me and him also have a strong artistic connection.

"I have never met anyone that goes so deep into the world of my lyrics and concepts. When I first wrote to him describing my ideas, I was worried that my remarks were perhaps too long and too confusing, only to get back an even longer and very inspired response…

"The inspiration for the actual front cover piece is taken from the Pergamon Altar, on display at the Pergamon museum in Berlin. It is, of course, linked closely to the concept that the whole record is based upon, but more on that later. But I will throw a name out there, for the interested ones; Peter Weiss.

"I can't wait to get the whole record in my hands now, as this is just one of the many great artwork pieces that Costin has created for us on 'To Drink From The Night Itself'..."

"To Drink From The Night Itself" track listing:

01. Der Widerstand
02. To Drink From The Night Itself
03. A Stare Bound In Stone
04. Palace Of Lepers
05. Daggers Of Black Haze
06. The Chasm
07. In Nameless Sleep
08. The Colours Of The Beast
09. A Labyrinth Of Tombs
10. Seas Of Starvation
11. In Death They Shall Burn
12. The Mirror Black

Lindberg recently spoke to Decibel magazine about how the departure of longtime AT THE GATES guitarist and primary songwriter Anders Björler has affected the band's sound. "It is true that there is a big shift in the lineup," he said. "What you have to take into consideration is that Jonas Björler [bass] wrote 40 percent of both 'Slaughter Of The Soul' and 'At War With Reality'. Some people seem to forget this. They just assume that the lead guitarist is the sole songwriter. Jonas had to take a lot more responsibility this time around, but me and him have had a really great and creative time writing this album. There is a slight change of direction, maybe, but AT THE GATES fans shouldn't be worried — it is still an AT THE GATES record. If anything, it is heavier and more death metal than the last one."

Lindberg said that new AT THE GATES guitarist Jonas Stålhammar came into the band too late to be involved in the composing process for the new disc. "This one is basically Jonas [Björler] and me when it comes to the writing. All the guys have contributed in some way, but the main writing comes from Jonas and me. Most of the songs were already in the finishing stages when Jonas Stålhammar joined, so there wasn't much time for him to contribute, but we look forward to having him more involved next time around. Saying that, his solos will, of course, be written by himself."

AT THE GATES 2018 is (left to right in photo):

Adrian Erlandsson - Drums
Jonas Björler - Bass
Tomas Lindberg - Vocals
Jonas Stålhammar - Guitar
Martin Larsson - Guitar

The official music video for the song "Silent Scream" from WE SELL THE DEAD can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's debut album, "Heaven Doesn't Want You And Hell Is Full", which was released on February 23 via earMUSIC.

Revolving around Niclas Engelin (IN FLAMES, ENGEL), DRÖMRIKET's Jonas Slättung, Gas Lipstick (former HIM drummer) and the voice of Apollo Papathanasio (SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, FIREWIND), WE SELL THE DEAD goes beyond the strains of conventional storytelling and creates a multi-media experience of premium-quality heavy metal music embedded in visually stimulating and atmospheric visuals.

Engelin told Dead Rhetoric about WE SELL THE DEAD's musical and lyrical approach: "This is a band of friends and musicians who want to do something different and dare to do so. It was the main priority to do something different coming from us and to turn some heads with our songs. We basically do what we love and we feel so fortunate to not have any boundaries or secret map. We just follow our hearts and try to do the best songs we can do and have tons of fun doing it."

He added: "I really wanted to something different and paint with bigger colors and take my time before the chorus kicks in. I just love the Tony Martin era of BLACK SABBATH and MAGNUM's 'On A Storyteller's Night'. I always wanted to try to outdo myself by writing that kind of music with my own way of writing, of course."

Regarding WE SELL THE DEAD's future plans, Engelin said: "We would like to take the band in a live environment and try to do something similar to the album’s theme, but we have to find out how to do it first. We are making our first appearance at our release February 23 in Gothenburg and we will just go from there. We have some ideas how to do this. We have already mapped some ideas for the next album and I have been writing some epic and big stuff lately which the guys are putting their magic to as we speak, so we are in the flow."

"Heaven Doesn't Want You And Hell Is Full" track listing:

01. The Body Market
02. Echoes Of An Ugly Past
03. Leave Me Alone
04. Imagine
05. Turn It Over
06. Too Cold To Touch
07. Trust
08. Pale And Perfect
09. Silent Scream

Former ACCEPT singer Udo Dirkschneider was interviewed on the latest episode of the "Talking Metal" podcast. He was joined during the chat by his U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER bandmates Sven Dirkschneider (drums) and Fitty Wienhold (bass). You can now listen to the interview using the Spreaker widget below.

Dirkschneider has spent the last two years touring under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner, performing classic ACCEPT songs for the last time. The trek, which was originally supposed to conclude with the band's North American run in January/February 2017, has now been extended through the fall of 2018.

Asked if he pays attention to what the current ACCEPT lineup is doing, Udo said: "They're doing also, let's say, not bad. People are asking me, 'What do you think about the singer?' I mean, Mark [Tornillo, current ACCEPT frontman] is doing a good job. I think he's got some problems when he has to do all this ACCEPT classic stuff; it's not so easy for him. But they do their thing, and we are doing our thing. And that's it. But it's also a reason why I did this DIRKSCHNEIDER thing. I was a little bit tired of all this complaining — who's playing the songs better, ACCEPT or Udo? Now that's it. And for us, [after we are done touring with DIRKSCHNEIDER] then we'll keep going on with U.D.O."

Udo also offered an update on U.D.O., which released its last studio LP, "Decadent", in 2015. He said: "We just finished recording for a new album. We just started mixing. And the album is coming out at the end of August in Europe, I think maybe in September in the U.S. And then we stop [touring] with DIRKSCHNEIDER the middle of October is the last show. And then after the last show with DIRKSCHNEIDER, we start rehearsing for a U.D.O. tour, and then we start touring in November, I think, in Russia — we start touring with U.D.O."

In addition to Udo, Sven and Fitty, the DIRKSCHNEIDER and U.D.O. bands include Andrey Smirnov and Bill Hudson on guitar.

DIRKSCHNEIDER released "Live - Back To The Roots - Accepted!" last August as a DVD/2CD, Blu-ray/2CD and gatefold triple vinyl in two different colors.

After putting out the live double CD in 2016, fans were asking for a visual output, so finally, in December 2016, the show in Brno, Czech Republic was recorded for that purpose. Besides many classics from Dirkscheider's ACCEPT era, there's a cover version of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" as a bonus track on the CD and vinyl.


Listen to "TM 735 Udo Dirkschneider" on Spreaker.

Helsinki-based metal band Dead Shape Figure will release their anticipated fourth album, Cacoëthes, on June 8th via Inverse Records. It's been five years since their latest studio album Opus Victoria was released. The first single, "The Last Of The Bearing Beats" is released today (February 26th); check it out below.

"Cacoëthes is simply the best Dead Shape Figure Ever. It took some time but now it's very easy to stand behind our music and lyrics," comments the band's singer Galzi.

Drummer Mohkis talks about new single: "'The Last Of The Bearing Beats' is an opening track from our upcoming Cacoëthes album and it represents Dead Shape Figure's updated sound. A Whole Lot Of Everything."

Tracklist:
"Intro"
"The Last Of The Bearing Beats" 
"Switchblade Storm" 
"Bolt Of Chaos And Creation"  
"For Further Loss"  
"Liberticide"  
"Strange Light Pulsate"  
"In No Esteem"  
"For The Sullen Souls"  

Album cover art by Tuomas Valtanen.

Line-up:
Galzi - Vocals
Juhani Flinck - Guitar
Niki Jurmu - Guitar
Ari Niemi - Bass
Mohkis - Drums

 

Check out the official Dead Shape Figure Facebook page here.

French black metal bashers Abduction have released a lyrics video for the song "À L'heure Du Crépuscule", the title track from their forthcoming album. Pre-orders for an exclusive bundle (collector first edition 6 panels, 24 pages booklet digipack + A3 poster hand signed by all band members) are now available here.

Dubbed autumnal black metal, Abduction features vocalist François Blanc (Angellore) and is recommended for fans of Dissection, Primordial and Opeth. Blanc has posted the following message:

"Hello everyone, it's with great pride that I'm finally able to share with you a song from the upcoming Abduction album, A l'Heure Du Crépuscule. I had a blast recording that album and I'm very happy with the result, as I truly and honestly think that it surpasses the first one." 

Album details will be revealed soon. It will be released on March 23rd through Finisterian Dead End.